Urban Artifact Mix Pack 12Pk is a 12-can variety pack of fruited sour ales brewed in Cincinnati, Ohio, with ABVs ranging from approximately 4.2% to 7.0%. Urban Artifact earned five individual medals at the 2025 US Beer Open Championship and ranked 6th overall at the 2024 edition, solidifying its reputation as one of America's top fruited sour breweries.Quick Facts: ABV: Varies by style (approx. 4.2–7.0%) | Origin: Cincinnati, Ohio | Style: Fruited Sour Ales | Brewery: Urban ArtifactProduction & HeritageUrban Artifact operates out of the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, where it has built its identity around an exclusive focus on fruited sour beer — a rarity among American craft breweries. The brewing team uses a kettle sour method, souring unfermented wort with lactobacillus in a separate tank before returning it to the brew kettle with hops and yeast. What truly sets them apart is their use of wild-caught bacteria harvested from the brewery's own bell tower and courtyard. Urban Artifact uses only real fruit — no flavorings, extracts, or additives — and is currently on pace to use over one million pounds of real fruit per year in production.Tasting NotesAroma: Expect an immediate wave of bright, ripe berry fruit — raspberry, blackberry, and tropical notes like passion fruit and guava rise from the can. Underneath, there is a subtle lactic tang that signals the sour character ahead.Taste: The entry delivers a punchy burst of tart acidity, balanced by a generous sweetness from real fruit. Mid-palate, flavors shift across a spectrum depending on the specific beer — some lean into berry-forward profiles with raspberry and blackberry firing side by side, while others take a tropical detour through passion fruit, guava, pineapple, and melon. The pH hovers around 3.5 across most of their beers, placing tartness roughly on par with orange juice.Finish: Each beer finishes clean and refreshing, with fruit sweetness fading into a dry, tart close. Lingering berry or tropical notes persist briefly without becoming cloying.How to Drink Urban ArtifactThese fruited sours are best enjoyed chilled, poured directly from the can or into a tulip glass to concentrate the aromatic fruit notes. They drink well on their own as a standalone refreshment, especially in warmer weather. Berliner Weisse Shandy: Blend one of the citrus-forward varieties with sparkling lemonade for a low-effort summer sipper that amplifies the lime and tropical character. Sour Beer Mimosa: Replace champagne with a berry-forward can and add a splash of fresh orange juice — the natural tartness creates a brunch drink with real depth. Fruited Sour Paloma Riff: Use a tropical variety as the base, add a measure of blanco tequila and a squeeze of grapefruit — the sour ale replaces both the soda and citrus components. Best For Introducing craft beer drinkers to the fruited sour category with accessible, real-fruit flavors Warm-weather gatherings where variety and refreshment matter equally Gifting to someone who appreciates award-winning, small-batch American craft beer Pairing dinners where tart, fruit-driven beverages complement rich or spicy dishes Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Urban Artifact Mix Pack taste like? The beers deliver a bright, tart punch of real fruit — think ripe berries, tropical guava, passion fruit, and citrus — balanced by a clean sourness roughly as tart as orange juice. Each variety in the pack offers a different fruit profile, ranging from berry-forward to tropical.How does Urban Artifact compare to other fruited sour variety packs? Urban Artifact is one of the few American breweries focused exclusively on fruited sour beer, which gives them a depth of expertise most breweries producing occasional sour releases cannot match. Their commitment to real fruit — over one million pounds per year — and wild-caught bacteria sets them apart from breweries that rely on flavorings or extracts.Is Urban Artifact Mix Pack good for beginners? Yes — the fruit-forward sweetness counterbalances the tartness, making these beers highly approachable for drinkers new to sour ales. The variety format also lets newcomers discover which fruit profiles they prefer.Where is Urban Artifact made? Urban Artifact brews all of its beer in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, using wild-caught lactobacillus bacteria harvested from the brewery's own bell tower and surrounding courtyard.What foods pair well with Urban Artifact? Grilled shrimp tacos work well, as the tartness cuts through charred richness. Creamy goat cheese or brie complement the fruit-forward acidity. Spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes find balance against the sour sweetness. Dark chocolate desserts pair nicely with the berry-heavy varieties, while a charcuterie board with cured meats and pickled vegetables mirrors the beer's tangy character.What sizes does Urban Artifact Mix Pack come in? The standard format is a 12-pack of cans, typically 12 oz each, containing an assortment of the brewery's fruited sour ales.Is the Urban Artifact Mix Pack worth the price? Urban Artifact positions as a premium craft offering within the fruited sour category, justified by its exclusive use of real fruit, wild-caught fermentation cultures, and consistently strong showings at national competitions including the US Beer Open Championship.Why Urban Artifact?Urban Artifact has staked its entire identity on a single pursuit — making the best fruited sour beer in the country — and the results speak through consistent national recognition, including five medals at the 2025 US Beer Open Championship alone. The brewery's use of wild-caught lactobacillus from its own bell tower and its commitment to over one million pounds of real fruit annually are not marketing gimmicks but verifiable production practices that directly shape the flavor in each can. In a market crowded with breweries treating sour beer as a side project, Urban Artifact's exclusive focus on the style gives this mix pack a level of craft and consistency that casual sour releases rarely achieve. For anyone seeking genuinely fruit-driven, tart, refreshing beer made with uncompromising ingredients, this 12-pack is a compelling entry point.
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